of the Kentucky campaign reached them. Unpopular as the name of
Bragg had been before, it was now mentioned often with execration; and
the reverses of his universally-condemned favorite reacted upon the
popularity of Mr. Davis as well. Without understanding the details of
the campaign, and with no patience to listen to the excuses of his few
defenders, the public voice was unanimous in denunciation of the plan
and conduct of the whole movement; and it arraigned the President for
the fault of his inferior, calling him to trial before a jury that
daily was becoming more biased and more bitter against him.

Like all the gloomy pages of Confederate history, the Kentucky campaign
was illumined by flashes of brilliance, dash and enduring courage,
surpassed by no theater of the war. Disastrous as it was in result, it
fixed more firmly than ever the high reputation of Kirby Smith; it
wreathed the names of Buckner, Hardee, Cheatham and Adams with fresh
bays; and it gave to Joseph Wheeler a record that the people of that
country will long remember.

In the events first preceding the disaster, too, as well as in his
independent raid during July, John H. Morgan had added additional
luster to his rising star, that was only to culminate in his exploits
of the next year. These were the brighter gleams; but the whole picture
was, indeed, a somber one; and there can be no wonder at the people's
anger and distrust when they looked upon it. For it showed a vast and
rich territory, teeming with those supplies needed most, yielded up to
the full uses of the enemy; a people one with the South at heart given
over to oppression of an alien soldiery and unable to co-operate with
their own long days to come; and across the face of the somber picture
was drawn the track of the blood of hundreds of brave men; sacrificed
needlessly, the people said--and in a manner stupid, if not barbarous.

A grave injustice had been done the people of Kentucky, because of
their conduct during the retreat. Baseless charges of their cowardice
and treachery had been bandied about in the mouths of the unreflecting;
the many had been made to suffer for the baseness of the few; and the
shield of the state had been tarnished because of an inaction her
people could not avoid.

Crushed, bound and deserted, as they were--with their only reliance
fading away from their eyes, and a bitter and triumphant enemy in hot
pursuit at their very doors--it would have been worse th